Metadata may be embedded in a service chain header (SCH) appended to a packet that is forwarded over a service chain path. The metadata may include information that is used to process the packet at a downstream service function chain (SFC) entity on the service chain path. The metadata TLV field may identify a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity. For example, the metadata TLV field may instruct the downstream SFC entity to drop the packet, to redirect the packet (or a traffic flow associated with the packet), to mirror a traffic flow, to terminate a communication connection, to start or stop a packet accounting, and/or to apply a higher grade of service. Alternatively, the metadata TLV field specifies an OAM service action list that identifies service actions that have been performed on the packet.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The first SFC entity of claim 1, wherein the length field indicates a total length of the metadata value field and the additional metadata value field when the additional metadata value field is present.
3. The first SFC entity of claim 1, wherein the metadata TLV field further comprises a TLV class field, wherein the TLV class field describes a scope of the type field.
4. The first SFC entity of claim 1, wherein the metadata specifies an operation administration and management (OAM) operation that identifies a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity.
5. The first SFC entity of claim 4, wherein the service action includes dropping a packet, redirecting a traffic flow, mirroring a traffic flow, terminating a communication connection, starting or stopping a packet accounting, applying a higher grade of service to the packet, or a combination thereof.
6. The first SFC entity of claim 4, wherein the metadata specifies an OAM service action list identifying service actions that have been performed on the packet.
7. The first SFC entity of claim 1, wherein the metadata specifies a target address that is used to carry an original destination internet protocol (IP) address of a terminating service function forwarder (SFF) over the service chain.
8. The first SFC entity of claim 1, wherein the first SFC entity is a classifier, or an SFC Proxy, and the second SFC entity is a service function forwarder (SFF).
10. The SFC entity of claim 9, wherein the length field indicates a total length of the metadata value field and the additional metadata value field when the additional metadata value field is present.
11. The SFC entity of claim 9, wherein the metadata TLV field further comprises a TLV class field, wherein the TLV class field describes a scope of the type field.
12. The SFC entity of claim 9, wherein the metadata specifies an operation administration and management (OAM) operation that identifies a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity.
13. The SFC entity of claim 12, wherein the metadata specifies an OAM service action list identifying service actions that have been performed on the packet.
14. The SFC entity of claim 9, wherein the metadata specifies a target address that is used to carry an original destination internet protocol (IP) address of a terminating service function forwarder (SFF) over the service chain.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the metadata specifies an operation administration and management (OAM) operation that identifies a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 6, 2020
August 9, 2022
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.